Stuart Forster in his Guide to Joliet, Illinois gets all Shakespearean as he asks wherefore art thou, Joliet?

The Illinois city of Joliet is 40 miles southwest of Chicago. In 2026, Joliet will be celebrating two noteworthy centenaries: the establishment of Route 66 and the opening of the Rialto Square Theatre in its downtown.

The city is named after Louis Jolliet, the French-Canadian explorer. Along with Jacques Marquette, Jolliet charted the North Mississippi River in the 17th century. A statue of Jolliet holding a musket in his left hand occupies a plinth outside the Joliet Public Library.

The Jewel of Joliet

From there, it’s a matter of paces to City Square, a newly developed public space opposite the Rialto Square Theatre. Envisaged as a place for people to stroll, relax and be entertained, City Square will host a programme of events, including live music, fitness workouts and dancing. The Unity Dome, by Sijia Chen, stands at the centre of the square.

The Rialto Square Theatre is notable for its grand façade, a gilded lobby that reputedly drew inspiration from the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles and its ornate auditorium, which features a dome. Those opulent interiors can be viewed during theatre tours. The building today known as ‘the Jewel of Joliet’ was described as a Vaudeville movie palace when it opened in May 1926. Then still in the Prohibition era, perhaps people drove down from Chicago to take in a movie at the theatre in the years after it opened?

The story of Route 66’s impact on the city and the surrounding area is explored in the Joliet Area Historical Museum. Outside the attraction on Ottawa Street, a black and white sign presents visitors with an ideal opportunity to snap selfies. When America’s Mother Road was first established, back in 1926, photographs had to be recorded on film and developed in chemical solutions before the image could be viewed.

These days, such a delay is barely imaginable. Thanks to social media, an image snapped in Joliet can be viewed in the likes of Japan, Jamaica or Jordan within seconds of its creation. We’ve become accustomed to a rapid pace of life and instant gratification. GPS systems help ensure that drivers reach their destinations as quickly as possible. Between American cities, that means plotting routes along interstate highways and stopping only at service stations.

Route 66 and Joliet

In our era of multi-lane highways, it’s almost impossible to imagine that Route 66 was just 18 feet wide in 1926. Yet during its initial years, vehicles travelled along single lanes in both directions. Each lane measured just nine feet across.

The museum in Joliet reminds visitors that Route 66 was an economic artery to communities along its length. Travellers paused to fuel both themselves and their vehicles, interacting with people and businesses during journeys. Inevitably, they used mechanics and other local services. Those human touchpoints were part of the great American road trip.

Joliet is known as ‘the City of Steel and Stone’ because of its industrial heritage. The Joliet Iron Works Historic Site is near the Des Plaines River and features a self-guided interpretative trail. For a time, prisoners at the nearby state penitentiary would quarry limestone in the city’s quarries.

Nikki Roberts, Marketing Manager at Heritage Corridor Destinations, explains: “Chicago is the start of Route 66 but I think that Joliet is the first iconic stop along the way. As a resident of the city, there’s a lot of that Midwest Rust Belt charm.”

“There is some really cool arts in the area. It’s a place where local businesses thrive, and it really digs into that identity as an old Route 66 town,” she adds.

Old Joliet Prison tours

Booking a tour is a way to explore Old Joliet Prison. The correctional facility that was decommissioned in 2002 and a part of the historic prison’s celebrity is its appearances in The Blues Brothers and the first season of Prison Break. Infamous male inmates included Lester Joseph Gillis (a.k.a Baby Face Nelson), John Wayne Gacy and James Earl Ray.

Established in 1858, the prison housed both men and women during its early years. A hundred cells on the institution’s top floor housed female offenders until 1896, when female prisoners were moved across the street to a new prison building.

The 90-minute guided tour explained how the prison utilised both isolation and arduous work. It was conceived as a city within a city. Prisoners undertook agricultural work and jobs in workshops, including a mattress factory. Cells with paint peeling from their walls and prison facilities, including the library, feature on the insightful tours.

Perhaps one outcome of visiting Old Joliet Prison is cherishing the freedom to explore further along Historic Route 66 during its centenary year?

Tell me more about things to do in Joliet, Illinois

Harrah’s Joliet hotel (151 N. Joliet St.) has 200 spacious guestrooms. Adjoining the casino of the same name, the hotel is well-placed for walking to attractions in the city’s downtown.

Juliet’s Tavern (205 N. Chicago St.) is a cosy, downtown steakhouse whose menu options include 16-ounce ribeye steaks. For a post-dinner drink, the Chicago Street Pub ( 75 N. Chicago St.) offers a range of craft beers.

The Rialto Square Theatre opened in May 1926. Tours of the grand building, known as the jewel of Joliet, take place on Tuesdays at 1.30 pm.

Joliet Area Historical Museum (204 Ottawa St.) tells the story of the city and its hinterland.

Into music? You may want to plan a visit to the Illinois Rock and Roll Museum. If Americana is your thing, make a pilgrimage to 501 Chicago Street. In 1940, Dairy Queen opened its first location at that address. It’s possible to take guided and self-guided tours of Old Joliet Prison. Tour availability is shown online and can be pre-booked.

Enjoy shopping? Take a trip to the Louis Joliet Mall, six miles northwest of Joliet’s downtown.

Enjoy attending sporting events when you travel? The Joliet Slammers baseball team play in the Frontier League. The regular season runs from May into September.

Chicagoland Speedway is located to the south of Joliet. It hosts NASCAR and other types of motor racing. Book ahead to experience driving a NASCAR racing car on the banked track.

Across the street from that circuit is the Route 66 Raceway. Visit to view the likes of monster truck shows and drag racing.

Getting there

Joliet is approximately 40 miles southwest of downtown Chicago. Driving between the two cities takes about an hour. Metra trains take an hour for the journey between LaSalle Street Station, in Chicago, and Joliet Gateway Center. Amtrak services also operate between the two cities.

More information about Joliet

See the Visit Joliet website for a comprehensive overview of things to do and see in the city. The Enjoy Illinois website is also an informative source of information about Joliet and elsewhere in the state. Joliet is one of the Illinois Heritage Corridor Destinations, on the first 100 miles of Route 66. Also check the Visit the USA website for practical information ahead of travelling to the United States of America.